Manchester City star David Silva will NOT face a speeding charge after arguing that official letters never arrived in the post.

The 29-year-old had been due to appear before Manchester and Salford magistrates’ on Thursday accused of ignoring official letters about an alleged speeding offence.

But his solicitor successfully argued the letters never arrived and must have been lost in the post.

The Crown Prosecution Service agreed to drop the charge on the eve of the trial.

The diminutive Spanish winger, famous for escaping defenders, had been accused of failing to provide information requesting who was behind the wheel of his Mercedes when it was clocked doing 62mph on the 40mph-limit A34 Kingsway in Cheadle on May 6, 2014.

The £6m-a-year player is said to have been twice been sent a notice of intended prosecution in which he was asked to name the person who was driving at the time. However, the Spaniard denies he received either.

His solicitor Gwyn Lewis, who is nicknamed Merlin after successfully defending a number of Blues stars charged with motoring offences, told the MEN: “He always maintained his innocence and the decision to drop this case was justified.”

A CPS spokeswoman said: “The CPS has discontinued a charge against David Silva of failing to provide information about the identification of the driver of a vehicle in connection with an alleged speeding offence.

“The CPS has recently received information stating that the notices, which were served by post, were not received at Mr Silva’s address. Following this information, the case was reviewed and the CPS decided that there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction and the charge has been discontinued.”

Prosecutors must be able to prove in court that a defendant has received a notice of intended prosecution and failed to respond.

Silva had been charged with a single count of failing to give information relating to the driver of a vehicle who is alleged to have been guilty of an offence.

Three years ago former Arsenal and City star Patrick Vieira, now manager of the Blues’ elite development squad, tried to escape a driving ban by claiming mail had not been delivered.

He admitted he had been driving his £160,000 Bentley when it was clocked doing 61mph in a 50mph zone. But magistrates threw out his defence and he was banned from the roads for six months and fined £1,000.